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Malta to get its first national film policy

National film policy to focus on attracting foreign film productions, improving the local film industry and local film training, and providing better salaries and conditions for workers in the industry.

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis has set up a consultative committee to draft Malta’s first national film policy.

“This is the first step towards making the film industry a new economic niche,” Zammit Lewis said.

The policy will look at how Malta can attract more international film productions, improve the local film industry, construct the necessary infrastructure, improve film training, and provide better salaries and conditions for workers in the film sector.

The committee will include representatives from the University, PBS, the Malta College of Arts and Technology, the Chamber of Commerce, the Empoyment and Training Centre, the Malta Tourism Authority, and he Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.

“The money that the film industry pumped into the economy last year was 650% higher than it was in 2013,” Zammit Lewis said. “In the last six months of 2014, the film industry generated around €29 million, a sign that the indsutry is growing at a fast pace.”

He pointed out that that films have touristic value, both in the money spent on accomodation, transport and entertainment by foreign film crew, and in the marketing of the country on the screen- so-called ‘screen tourism’.